In order to ensure self-sufficiency and medicine security in the country, experts in the pharmaceutical sector urge governments to priotise investment and provide enabling environment for local drugs and medicines manufacturers.

The pharmacists made the call in Lagos, at the 40th anniversary celebration of the 1985 graduation class of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu.

The three-day event was tagged ‘Pharmily Circle’ 85 Ruby Celebration.

The president of the class, Dozie Chukwuanu, said, “The country has what it takes to be self-sufficient but needs government’s will to change the country’s dependency on drugs importation and boost local production.”

Mr Chukwuanu, head, strategic business development at Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals, highlighted the need for robust regulations and increased surveillance at the borders to tackle the influx of fake drugs into the country.

“We need government’s will to boost local production of drugs; 80 per cent of most drugs are organic compound that are from petrochemicals. Countries like South Korea, India and China don’t have these petro chemicals, some of them import it from Nigeria and make Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients out of it and sell back to us.

“This was made possible for the industry in these countries because of their government’s will, support and they know the importance of drug security. NAFDAC is doing a lot but if surveillance in the various points of entry to the country is poor, fake drugs will continue to find their way into Nigeria and continue to put our health at risks,” he said.

Obinna Okereke, the owner of CYNOB Pharmacy in California, U.S., urged governments to put strong policies and procedures in place to address the influx of fake drugs into the country.

Mr Okereke, chairman of the planning committee of the event, urged NAFDAC to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to tackle the influx of substand drugs that has increased the burden of diseases and mortality in the country.

“We know some of the countries where Nigerians import drugs and there is need for NAFDAC and the foreign affairs ministry to liase with these countries.

“These countries can prevail over their manufacturers not to yield to the demand of wicked Nigerians importing substandard medicines into the country.

“Most of these medicines imported to Nigeria from India or China don’t enter their market because they know they don’t have the standards or adequate ingredients,” he said.

(NAN)